Today sees us reach the point in the series where only the best contestants reach - the Quarter Finals. After 100 preliminary games, the series heads towards its climax. So the first Quarter Final features Number 1 seed, Apterite, Mark Murray, against Number 8 seed Andy Gardner.Countdown recap for Friday 13 June 2014.
C1: Champion Mark Murray (8 wins, 902 points.) An Apterite. Collection Specialist from Bristol, originally from Dublin.
C2: Champion Andy Gardner (6 wins, 580 points.) Trainee Accountant from Reading.
DC: Susie Dent and Mark Foster.
RR: Rachel Riley.
OT: Other words or solutions.
R01: S F N O A O S L T
R02: P J R E A N G I T
R03: 6, 7, 1, 75, 50, 100. Target: 379.
TTT: TIEGRASS - "They'll let the animals eat the grass so long as you pay them."
R04: N D N E O E X T I
R05: D S G O E O P T A
R06: 6, 1, 3, 7, 4, 4, . Target: 901.
R07: E O E F S K R L A
R08: D T I O E Z N R I
R09: 1, 6, 9, 6, 50, 75. Target: 392.
TTT: USUALNIP - "This might give you a nip when it's grown to its usual size."
R10: B Q M O U I N S E
R11: B M R A O E O V D
R12: T M H S I E U C P
R13: M R W E I A N L R
R14: 9, 9, 10, 1, 3, 2. Target: 870.
R15: V I T V E N I C E (conundrum)
And now a brief interlude before our main feature:
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Round 1: S F N O A O S L T
Mark: SALOONS (7)
Andy: FLOATS (6)
OT: STOLONS (7)
Score: 7–0 (max 7)
Mark gets off to a great start with SALOONS, while Andy FLOATS with a 6.
Round 2: P J R E A N G I T
Mark: TAPERING (8)
Andy: TAPERING (8)
DC: GRANITE (7) PARTING (7)
Score: 15–8 (max 15)
Both players get an 8 with TAPERING.
Round 3: 6, 7, 1, 75, 50, 100. Target: 379.
Mark: 381.
Andy: 380. (6-1) x 75 + 7 - (100/50) (7)
RR: 380. (7)
OT: 379. (50 x 7) + ((100 + 75 - 1) / 6 (10)
Score: 15–15 (max 25)
Neither player can reach 379. Andy comes closest with 1 away. Rachel doesn't get it either, but I am reliably informed it is possible by CENSIM (Countdown Electronic Numbers Solver In Manchester)
Teatime teaser: TIEGRASS -> AGISTERS
Round 4: N D N E O E X T I
Mark: INTONED (7)
Andy: DENOTE (6)
DC: TENONED (7)
OT: DENTINE (7) ENDNOTE (7)
Score: 22–15 (max 32)
Mark goes further ahead with a 7, INTONED. Andy's DENOTE not enough to score this time.
Round 5: D S G O E O P T A
Mark: STOOPED (7)
Andy: STOOPED (7)
DC: POSTAGE (7)
OT: DOTAGES (7) POTAGES (7) STOOGED (7)
Score: 29–22 (max 39)
Both players STOOPED to a 7 here.
Round 6: 6, 1, 3, 7, 4, 4. Target: 901.
Mark: -
Andy: -
RR: 900. (((7 x 6) + 3 ) x 4) x (4 + 1) (7)
Score: 29–22 (max 46)
The numbers are proving tough today. Both players fail to score here, Rachel gets 900. Although she doesn't actually say how, CENSIM is called into action once again
Mark Foster talks about his experience of abseiling.
Round 7: E O E F S K R L A
Mark: LOAFERS (7)
Andy: flakers
DC: FORSAKE (7)
OT: AREOLES (7) LEAKERS (7)
Score: 36–22 (max 53)
Mark gets LOAFERS for another 7. Andy has 'flakers' disallowed.
Round 8: D T I O E Z N R I
Mark: IRONIZED (8)
Andy: EDITION (7)
OT: RETINOID (8)
Score: 44–22 (max 61)
Mark gets a further 8 ahead with IRONIZED. Andy only gets a 7 with this EDITION of letters.
Round 9: 1, 6, 9, 6, 50, 75. Target: 392.
Mark: 392. (6 x 75) - 50 (10)
Andy: 392. (50-1) x (9 - ( 6 / 6)) (10)
Score: 54–32 (max 71)
A perfect 10 from both players with 392.
Teatime teaser: USUALNIP -> NAUPLIUS
Nauplius is the first lavel crustation apparently.
Round 10: B Q M O U I N S E
Mark: minques
Andy: OMNIBUS (7)
DC: UMBONES (7)
Score: 54–39 (max 78)
Mark gets 'minques' disallowed, allowing Andy to score 7 in this OMNIBUS round.
Round 11: B M R A O E O V D
Mark: VROOMED (7)
Andy: broomed
DC: ADVERB (6)
OT: BEDROOM (7) BOREDOM (7)
Score: 61–39 (max 85)
Mark VROOMED to another 7 here. Andy 'broomed' his way to a disallowed word.
As it's World Cup week, Susie Dent talks about footballing words.
Round 12: T M H S I E U C P
Mark: PITCHES (7)
Andy: CHEMIST (7)
DC: PUMICES (7)
OT: HUMPIEST (8)
Score: 68–46 (max 93)
Mark PITCHES in with another 7, while Andy goes to the CHEMIST for his 7 points.
Round 13: M R W E I A N L R
Mark: MANLIER (7)
Andy: MARINER (7)
OT: MARLINE (7) MINERAL (7) RAILMEN (7) WIREMAN (7)
Score: 75–53 (max 100)
Another 7 a piece round. MANLIER and MARINER the words found.
Round 14: 9, 9, 10, 1, 3, 2. Target: 870.
Mark: 870. (9 x 9) + (2 x 3) x 10 (10)
Andy: 870. (9 + 1) x 2 + 9 x 3 x 10 (10)
Score: 85–63 (max 110)
The numbers have become second nature all of a sudden, as both players get 10 for 870.
Round 15: V I T V E N I C E
Mark buzzes on 3 seconds to say INVECTIVE which is correct.
Final Score: 95–63 (max 120)
So Mark finishes off a magnificent display by spotting INVECTIVE in just 3 seconds. Is our Apterite number 1 seed about to walk away with the series 70 title? His semi final isn't until Wednesday 25th June now. The next Quarter Final is on Monday, before Countdown is hit by yet another bout of racingitis for the rest of the week. Join Andy McGurn on Monday. I'll be back on Friday 27th June with the Grand Final. I look forward to you joining me then. In the meantime, thank you very much for reading, and goodbye.
Further summaries are at:
http://cdb.apterous.org/series.php?series=70
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